North Carolina Film Critics Association

3 hours ago

Review: The Art of Self-Defense.

"The Art of Self-Defense" is ultimately a good film, but also one of the more difficult cinematic works to recommend in some time.

Written and directed by Riley Stearns, the dark comedy about a nebbish accountant named Casey (Jesse Eisenberg, natch) who takes up karate as a security boost after an extreme mugging/beating is well-made and full of awkwardly comedic moments.

In select theaters now. #ArtofSelfDefense ...

North Carolina Film Critics Association

7 hours ago

Review: Crawl from member Matt Brunson.

Given all the seasonal cinematic bloat, a pared-down thriller would seem to be a summertime blessing, offering nothing more and nothing less than appreciated, adrenaline-pumping chills. It worked three years ago when Blake Lively stood firm against a menacing shark in "The Shallows", but the idea goes belly-up with the new terror tale "Crawl".

In theaters now. #Crawl ...

North Carolina Film Critics Association

11 hours ago

Review: The Art of Self-Defense from member Al Alexander.

Jesse Eisenberg fortifies a dark comedy about a mugging victim joining a martial arts class where things aren’t always what they seem.

Jesse Eisenberg definitely has his comedic dojo working as he goes to the mat in the name of toxic masculinity in Riley Stearns’ dark and perceptive “The Art of Self-Defense.” It’s easily Eisenberg’s best work since portraying evil genius Mark Zuckerberg in the equally edgy “The Social Network.” And when you get down to it, the two roles are eerily similar in that both are monsters born of societal indifference; unhip outcasts meekly clamoring to be noticed until fate steps in with one reimagining mass media, the other karate.

In select theaters now. #ArtofSelfDefense ...

North Carolina Film Critics Association

1 day ago

Review: "Point Blank" from member Douglas Davidson.

In the battle for consumer attention, there are few who can proclaim the sheer amount of content Netflix offers on a daily basis. As one of the original disruptors of consumed content (first as a disc-only service before shifting to streaming), Netflix sought to make available as many films and television shows as possible. But paying for licensing rights gets expensive, so there was a shift into creating original content. This is where series television like "Orange is the New Black", "Stranger Things", "You", and "Sex Education" or any of the canceled Marvel programs are frequently mentioned in praise, whereas the films often are not. For some reason, Netflix films are seen as the kind of films no one wants. Stranger still, this means ignoring films like "Beasts of No Nation", "Okja", "Kodachrome", "Gerald’s Game", "Mute", "Private Life", "22 July", and these are just the features, not the documentaries. The latest to join the cavalcade is director Joe Lynch’s ("Mayhem") "Point Blank", a remake of a 2010 French film which now stars tremendous odd couple Anthony Mackie and Frank Grillo (both from "Captain America: The Winter Soldier"). While the film doesn’t reach the fantastical heights of "Okja" or the emotional lows of "Kodachrome", "Point Blank" offers an entertaining experience which works due to the chemistry of the cast.

Available streaming now. #Netflix ...

North Carolina Film Critics Association

1 day ago

Review: Toy Story 4 from member James Rosario.

If you read my reviews with any regularity, it’s no secret I have a young daughter who I take to the movies regularly. My daughter, (who just turned five) usually gives the film a predictive rating of ten stars out of five. While I’m a bit more discerning, I do my best to cultivate her interests. When the feature starts, I pay close attention to her reactions. I make note of how often she laughs or shows signs of interests, as well as how many times she asks, “when is the movie going to be over?”

If I were to judge a film based strictly on these criteria alone, "Toy Story 4" would come closer than any other movie we’ve seen to that unattainable ten out of five-star prediction she often gives. Of course, there’s more to it than how many times a five-year-old rolls her eyes, but her smiles, laughter, and continued piqued interest are certainly worth noting. (For the record, my daughter’s favorite movies of all time are "Isle of Dogs" and "Black Panther". Make of that what you will.)

In theaters now. #ToyStory4 ...